Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Liquid Starlight
by Mnesia
Summary: In the futuristic world of Pokémon, three young heroes set out on the path to uncover new environments in the vast universe for the sake of their evolving species. They, however, soon find themselves in the crossfire of something horrific...
1. Ring Proud

**_Prologue: Ring Proud_**

_Alright, so this would be my second story. It's not a crossover, although it has slight reference to the Star Ocean series, and a bit of suggestive themes. I would have put that in my summary, but alas, I couldn't fit it! Ah well. So Liquid Starlight is in the same Pokémon Mystery Dungeon universe as my Kingdom Hearts PMD story, though you'll notice a lot of differences in the coming chapters... Just like I did to begin that story, here's the setting:_

_**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky: **Nearly six years after Team Crimsongleam (Jovany and Riolu in KHPMD: Crossblade) defeated Darkrai. The world has advanced technologically._

_This is, obviously, just the opening. And as my style suggests, it won't jump right into the actual setting of the story. I have make buildin' blocks~! Also, there's a fair amount of spoilers in here. And OCs. _

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't claim possession over characters originating from the franchises of Chun Soft, Game Freak, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company._**_ They belong to their rightful owners. _**_There are original "personalities" in this story, as well as some original concept Pokémon of mine. I thought I'd also do the classic questionnaire at the beginning of PMD games. The concept of that, since it's so similar to the actual game's, doesn't belong to me. Clearly~!  
><em>

* * *

><p>"Welcome!"<p>

This voice originated from the far left of total darkness. Where the voice had come from was unknown.

"You are about to journey forth into the world of Pokémon!"

The very same voice came from the far right of cosmic oblivion.

"You will be asked a series of questions, the sole purpose being to determine the type of person you are. The reason for this is for you, yes you, to understand just what kind of Pokémon you are and what deeds you shall do for this wonderful world. Please answer each question honestly!"

"So, without further ado, let us get started!"

"First, should a shortcut to your destination be too crowded, would you instead take the long route?"

"_Yes, I would go the long way."_

This voice did not exist in any audible form. It could only have been understood by the ethereal call from the blackness.

"Second, if you are scolded, how would you react?"

"_I would make it easy, but... I would become deeply upset and disappointed with myself."_

"Third, you are selecting teams for a sport. There are two players left to chose from. One is very good at the sport, but the other is your friend who is not as skilled at playing. Who would you chose?"

"_I would probably chose the better player... I like to have friendly competition."_

"Fourth, there is someone in your class you have a subtle crush on. That person will be moving away next year. What do you do?"

"_I would probably just ask to be friends and hang out with that person more."_

"Fifth, you are riding your bike when, all of a sudden, you take an unexpected plunge into the cement. How would you react?"

"_I'd remain sitting for a while and apply pressure to whatever wounds I can. I think that helps..."_

"Sixth, you and a friend are moving a heavy piece of furniture. Your friend has a bad grip and drops the furniture on your feet. What would you do?"

"_I'd be a little angry with myself for not asking about if everything was alright, but I'd also be a bit upset at my friend for not telling me about the bad grip."_

"Seventh, there is a bothersome fly in your room. What would you do with the fly?"

"_I'd try to catch it... If I did, I would probably kill it."_

"Eighth. We are almost done. It is a good friend's birthday, and you want to give him or her something, but you lack the money for a gift. What would you do in this case?"

"_I would create something, like a poem or card, or even a picture of some sort."_

"Ninth, if you got lost in a crowded city with no way of knowing where you were, how would you respond?"

"_I would enter a hotel or restaurant, or other building of the sort, and ask if I could use a phone."_

"Tenth... If you were part of a dramatic project without knowing so, and it was unveiled to you by surprise, what would be your reaction?

Fuzzy static filled the blackness for but a second.

"_I'm not entirely sure how to react to that..."_

"Very good... Now, lastly, are you a boy or a girl?"

"_A boy."_

"Excellent. You are not the easiest type of person to comprehend. Yes, you are quite sporadic. You are extremely hard on yourself, and quite shy. If you have multiple options for something, you will always travel the path of least resistance, even if it means going against your initial plans. You do not like to act because there are too many consequences in the world, and they are far too difficult to avoid. Yes, you are... lazy..."

"But that can change in a heartbeat should you be presented with the right scenario. You are quick to act, and you make very wise decisions, although you can be somewhat cruel with your impulsiveness to solve adversity. You do value your friends dearly, though you have a difficult time truly expressing, in words, how you feel. Again, however, if you are pressured, you will change. You will invert your ways. You are left, then right."

"You must do you best to act it times of your **a**pathy, and slow down in times of your pressure, so that you do not do anything you will regret. Do not be shy. Be **z**ealous! Face the world with your head held high and your friends close. **A**lways. Never be afraid to express your emotion or **be**ing, and never underestimate its power... this power, you hold inside of you is as strong as the sun's rays..."

"Indeed, your spirit is the color of golden sun**l**ight. You must** l**et it shine gently on others. Do not scorch them... Ring proud."

"I see it now... Your Pokémon..."

"You are a-"

The world goes black and white with static, cutting the mystical voice off before it could speak the name of the Pokémon...

Then came the sound of waves crashing against the shore.

* * *

><p><em>So, we don't even know what this character is as a Pokémon. Not only that, but the questionnaire didn't even get the chance to ask who his partner would be. Suspicious. Though there is a clue in there. Read them in the order they were presented. (Hint: Original)<em>


	2. An Explorer's Morning

**_Chapter 1: An Explorer's Morning_**

**_Note: _**_So here's another chapter. Now I have to go work on Crossblade because it's sitting there patiently. Although, I recently started school again and miiiiiight be a tad busy. Thing will be posted slower... but posted. So I'm not going anywhere for a while. Anyway, this is much like Crossblade's intro: serene and undisturbed. Of course, stuff happens! Those of you who have read Crossblade will notice striking parallelism __to that story's third chapter, Explorers. Consider it another hint of this whole grand design I got goin' here._

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't claim possession over characters originating from the franchises of Chun Soft, Game Freak, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company._**_ They belong to their rightful owners. _**_There are original "personalities" in this story, as well as some original concept Pokémon of mine_

* * *

><p>His image, desecrated by an ungodly force.<p>

His intentions, set awry by a terrible resolve.

His name, no longer his own.

The Pokémon, veiled in a shell of electric, fuzzy static. A shadow loomed over him, crimson glints against a black background. This static-enveloped Pokémon was unidentifiable...

…

The vision froze. Cracks lined the scene like silver-lined lightning... The dream shattered...

…

"Aaahhh!" A scream came from a teenage Pokémon. Upon doing so, his eyes shot open, exhaling with enough violence to trigger a few coughs. Steadily, he sat up, crossing his legs and rubbing the back of his head. He was a tiny creature, no taller than a couple feet. His bed was far larger than he, as well as his partner's. It was a quite majestic, high-tech device; white memory foam within a rectangular metal casing and line with all sorts of buttons and settings, some of which programmed in very narrowed detail. As for the surroundings, the room ran parallel to that of a small hotel suite. From the future. Silver was the room's dominant color. Plants of various sorts hung to metallic prongs along the walls, each of which were carrying a small silver vase. In one section of the small room—opposite the beds—was a circular table with a concave dome in its center, a large translucent circle in the center of that. This area appeared to home a variety of computers. The third section of the room was the largest. It provided the residents with food. Literally. A sophisticated pipe system led all across the area from the central point of the convenience market itself. Purchases for certain foods were made at home, although a wider selection was always available at the store, supposedly to prevent an excess amount of slacking. A metallic refrigerator, lengthier in width than height, received the purchased food and organized it automatically. Drinks were handled in the same fashion, although purchased from a different source.

Providing the room with a soothing ambience was the quarter-pipe-shaped windows, supported by iron bars with about six panes of glass. The curved window system overlooked the vast sea... Indeed, this tiny house was built into the side of a cliff. Only a couple years ago was it renovated and redesigned to fit its surroundings.

The sun's gentle rays gifted the small Pokémon's face with a reliable warmth. Eased and relaxed, he smiled, sighing contentedly through his nose. His physical appearance consisted four noticeable colors: green, gold, cream white, and maroon. The majority of these was green, as it showed itself on his head, arms, smooth back, and trailed alongside the creamy white down his tail, finishing as a three-pronged leaf. The cream color started at his elegant, pointed nose, and flowed down his slender chest to his legs and feet, continuing under his tail. Around his eyes were a goldenrod color, showing itself again as curved strands over his shoulders. His eyes claimed the remainder of the colors: deep, glaring maroon. He was a Snivy, and that _was_ his name.

Snivy turned to his partner with a smirk, leaning back into his leafy hands flat against the cushioned bed. It was amusing to see Treecko in slumber like this. Rising early obviously did not come naturally to the other grass-type Pokémon. Treecko was surprisingly similar in appearance to Snivy, though resembling a lizard. His nearly humanoid body was a bright green, scarlet, however, under his mouth and on his chest. His thick, leafy tail was a darker evergreen, and his eyes were... closed... otherwise they would be seen as a light gold. Treecko possessed a habit of ending up sleeping in a humorous fashion, given all the space he had to do so. At the moment, he was laying on his back with his tail between his legs, all four limbs spread out as if he were part of an autopsy... Hopefully Treecko decided to wake up soon. Though Snivy would never have wanted for his partner to experience something similar to the nightmares he had been having for some time. This has gone unmentioned to anyone of the city

Today was a big day for the two. They have proved to themselves and few others to be decently talented explorers, though it was time to ascend another step. Most of their exploring has been free-spirited, as opposed to the strict, fatigue-inducing training of the city's famous explorer's guild. Of course, the two have told themselves plenty times that they were ready to join. Last minutes excuses, however, barred their path to becoming full-fledged explorers, rather than what some Pokémon referred to as meddlesome troublemakers. Any business related to exploration without an actual badge declaring the holder as an explorer was... bothersome.

Snivy placed his leafy hands at his hips and turned to his partner, a glint of determination in his crimson eyes. It was time to settle this and simply join the famous Wigglytuff's Guild. That is, whenever Treecko decided to wake up.

The young grass snake Pokémon chuckled quietly to himself. After many years of living in the same residence on a cliff called Sharpedo Bluff, he had always been the one to awaken first. Often times, Snivy strolled by his favorite location near Treasure City: the beach. He felt it was a bit corny to express the beauty in it. The splendor of the sea almost made him wish he was a water-type, so that he may explore to his heart's fullest desire.

Although exploring the ocean was but a fraction of the occupation itself.

Half a decade back, the federation overseeing the very concept of exploration announced the coming of space exploration, due to the world's considerably abrupt lunge into advanced technology. A year following that, the project was launched. It was called the Interplanetary Explorer Coalition. The goals and intentions of those within the project were unclear to Snivy and Treecko, although they knew it had something to do with the possibility of meeting "aliens". Following its establishment, the famous guild of Treasure Town, as it was known as back then, set its sights to the starry skies. The very first accomplishment of theirs resulted from an expedition held with the federation's elites. They utilized the very first spacecraft, known as the Dawnstar, and made the ultimate discovery on a small planetoid which they entitled Z. This discovery not only was, but rapidly laid the foundation for this world's ultimate energy source: gamma fluid. With this, the guild became overwhelmingly famous. Upbeat exploration teams joined the guild to earn new ranks, explore new lands, and have countless adventures beyond the sky of their home planet.

This was a fantasy... For a year.

Minimal exposure to the gamma fluid slightly amplified or converted the power of some Pokémon, yet prohibited evolution. Deep exposure had been known to cause genetic mutation, which led to further physical mutations such as extra limbs or tails, among other very _odd_ things that _have_ been experienced. Heavy exposure was only caused upon ingesting gamma, or becoming submerged in it. It either proved fatal, or ensued in a dramatic physical and mental convergence known as transendency. This had never occurred without death following shortly after, and rarely did the point of mutation become an actuality. Though most of the close apprentices under Wigglytuff handled these compounds gingerly enough to avoid minimal exposure, the newer recruits showed a lack of experience by unintentionally afflicting themselves with this. None of them have ever been the same since then. In the the past few years however, Wigglytuff's Guild has been a staggering success. They have assimilated enough money to construct a space station, leaving the issue of home exploration in their successors' hands for the time. The guild, indeed, resided in an enormous satellite-station orbiting the world, which was accessible via Atmo-Transit System, stationed conveniently in the futuristic Treasure City.

Unfortunately for Snivy or Treecko, the latest major information about the federation or the guild had yet to be released, though these two were a controversial duo. They believed that secrets were being held. That made the mystery that much more attractive. Upon thought, it was something Snivy was far too impatient to sit around for. He shifted his position on the bed, now hanging his feet over the green mat placed at the base of his bed. He rubbed his eyes for a moment, still quite drowsy. Yawning, he set his feet down and made for the small fridge. Snivy's choice of a to-go breakfast was a yellow berry with a blue cone shape atop it. These were called chesto berries, and they worked marvelously as an energizing snack. They were quite dry and unpleasant to some Pokémon. Snivy enjoyed them, and Treecko felt the same way. Breakfast in hand, Snivy walked to the entrance of his home, simply standing before the dark gray hatch with bright green streaks of light lining it. A scanner before the door acted silently, identifying the Pokémon with a brief beep. The door hissed open, rising to a slit in the ceiling. It was now unlocked and active until one of the two decided to lock up again. There was little to no need, as Treasure City was a peaceful place to be.

Snivy trolled casually along the silver, hexagonal patterned path. With a relaxed smile upon his face, he turned to see the famous landmarks of the city, such as a stone fountain in the shape of one of the legendary relics called Time Gears. Green tinted water spurted through the central gap and fanned out in all directions, caught by the engravings on the gear before trickling down into the circular tub and recycled, the initial water brought from the city's river. The building design was lavish, almost gaudy. Each building's entrance possessed its own distinct resemblance to a Pokémon. Varied neon lights lined these building's ridges, with the metallic structure's color to match, though watered down with a bit of gray. The surroundings were as lively as the citizens themselves, most of which greeted Snivy openly. With a warm smile, he waved in return, aware that a few Pokémon of Treasure City were not too fond of this "wannabe explorer". That was about to change. But first, it was time for a proper meditation at the beach.

Many things changed about Snivy's home, although the path to the beach remained quite the same: simply cut directly through the city before coming to the signature crossroads, paved over with the same metallic substance used in the street across Treasure City. West led to lands of varied sorts. North led to a very large structure, which was a base of operations for Wigglytuff's Guild. South led down to the birthplace of Team Turbo; the beach... It was his destination once again.

The path to the beach had remained very untouched by the advancements in technology. It maintained a natural air...

Snivy walked at a leisurely pace, his eyes focused on the sand beneath his feet. A smile crossed his lips. He enjoyed the warm, sinking sensation received from walking on deep sand. A wave struck his feet. Snivy turned out to face the sea, Wingull and Pelipper flocked above its shine in the distance. It was an unusual sight to see this early...

_What are they doing out...? _Snivy thought, one hand at his mouth, one arm supporting the other. Thoughts poured in his mind like the wash of the waves... _I don't think it's too problematic... Joining the guild is what's problematic. What is it with Treecko and his stubborn nature of thinking that the guild won't do anything for us? That's ludicrous... He's scared, and I know it... Because I'm scared too. We don't have the best reputation around here, so would we be accepted? Would everything be alright? I'd really like to expand my horizons... Sure, the horizon of this world is exciting and all, but space? Space exploration? That goes beyond my imagination. This world is all I know. Still, I'm not so sure about it... We're never joining anything at this rate..._

The thoughts skimming through Snivy's mind finally came to a conclusion as the wind shifted from a lax breeze to a sudden gust. Accompanying this gust was the distinct sound of a bell's ring. It was not necessarily a large chime, rather a humble jingle. Curious, the grass snake responded by turning in both directions, rather alarmed to see that the jingle was no fantasy. Near the maw of the simply titled Beach Cave was a petite blue Pokémon, obviously out cold. Instinct screamed out Snivy. He had to assist.

"Hey!" The small green Pokémon called out, his arm thrown forward. Deducing that his yell was to no avail, he approached with caution. It was very possible that this creature was as hostile as those seen in a mystery dungeon, considering two facts: this Pokémon was unconscious next to one, and Snivy had never seen him or her before. Perhaps the opposite was true. Perhaps this was an explorer who was bested... by the cave...? If anything, it was more difficult to be knocked unconscious in the cave than actually get through the place. "Hey, you alright?" Crouching as much as he could, Snivy nudged at the other, receiving an array of hacks and coughs as a response. "Waah!" Snivy called out, taking a few steps back as a precaution. The small Pokémon's ears fell back as it suddenly rolled to its chest, propping itself up on all fours, albeit bipedal in physique, and hacking out seawater. It spat into the sand before revealing its sun-golden eyes to Snivy.

The Pokémon was unlike he had ever seen or heard of in any tales. The various physical traits of this creature were scrambled between what appeared to be three animals: a cat, a fox, and a squirrel. Its ears were pointy as a fox's, it's face distinctively resembling that of a cat's, and its bushy tail subtly mimicking a squirrel's. Its torso, slightly thumbed paws, and feet where neutrally blended between the three animals. The color of its fur was a deep azure with a white underbelly, that of which flowed into its tail before blending back into blue. It possessed a long strand of head fur which supposedly acted as hair, essentially concealing one of its eyes. And, of course, around its neck was a spherical golden bell, a certain inscription upon it... If Snivy was to conceive of something that merged perhaps a Meowth, a Vulpix, and a Pachirisu, this Pokémon would have been the result.

"Good, you're coming through. What happened? Did you pass out in the cave?" Snivy started questioning, still examining the features of this new Pokémon. It attempted to stand, though it clumsily fell backwards as if it completely forgot about the weight of its tail. It appeared stupefied as it simply sat in the sand and gave a blank stare at Snivy. What crossed Snivy's mind was that the other might have been a confused child. Its physical appearance was diminutive enough to assume as much. Then again, Snivy himself was relatively the same size. "You okay? Do you remember how you got here? You look like an awfully young Pokémon."

Those words triggered more of a frightened response as the other scrambled backwards until propping itself up against a rock, tail between its legs.

"Whoa, whoa, easy..." Snivy approached again, his hands up a forward, gesturing to the other not to panic. There was little a conundrum in the grass-type's perspective at the moment anyway. "I'm not gonna hurt'cha. I wouldn't do that to such a little 'mon." He confirmed, seeming to perturb the other further as it grasped its head tightly in a sort of unseen mental anguish. As it lowered its head, the blue creature became aware of the bell strapped around its neck. With Snivy watching close, it held the bell up and examined it, seemingly fascinated... until it discovered the inscription. It was understood without fail.

"Azabell..." The young boy read aloud, then causing a violent yelp. A surge of static obscured his vision for a moment. "I'm not... a Pokémon!" He stated loudly, despite being able to see his blue paws clearly. Showing less of a clumsy manner, the denying boy jolted for the rocky maw of the dark cave nearby. Snivy blinked, unsure if this had just happened...

"Wait!" He called out, an arm raised for the boy once again. "Come back! Gah, crap!" He retracted his arm, shifting his stance and facing the path to Treasure City. "Treecko's gotta hear this... But he-... No!" The grass snake shouted, spinning around a second time, ready to lurch forward at any given second. The choice was his own. "'Gotta get that kid outta there!" In the blink of an eye, he had vanished into the Beach Cave...

_A mystery dungeon's no place for a fool!_

_Let's hope I don't screw this up..._


	3. The Crimson Gleam

_**Chapter 2: The Crimson Gleam**_

__Note: So like, it's back. I'm continuing Liquid Starlight because of a very excellent surge of motivation. Endemic will be the one put on hold for a bit, as LS will have plenty of awesome transformations anyway. KHPMD is next! **And Happy Halloween everyone! **I aim to continue this story alongside its crossover big brother._  
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**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't claim possession over characters originating from the franchises of Chun Soft, Game Freak, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company._**_ They belong to their rightful owners. _**_There are original "personalities" in this story, as well as some original concept Pokémon of mine._

* * *

><p><em><strong>-Beach Cave-<strong>_

"Gah!" Snivy hollered as he was thrown against a moist, rocky wall within the small, cavernous mystery dungeon. At that moment, he wondered why he had obliged to his own impulse. Why had he come in here alone just to save an otherwise schizophrenic boy? Lifting himself to one knee with a fist against the ground, he shook the thought. That was not the way an explorer thought. Though, this dilemma made him realize how significant a partner was. Waltzing on into a mystery dungeon all by one's lonesome was a mistake. His foe, a hostile Corsola, stood ready to deliver another forceful tackle. This Pokémon was strikingly powerful for one who lived within the simplest mystery dungeon there was. A life was on the line here. With this conviction, Snivy jolted forward, leaping high enough over the Pokémon to avoid its pink coral spikes. From the Corsola's perspective, something was wrapping around its spikes. The entire cave began to flip. It was lifted from the ground, followed by being thrown pile of loose rocks. Snivy stood with one leg forward, green vines retracting back into his body. "Type advantage. Sorry." Saying nothing further, the determined explorer set forth again.

As he delved deeper into the cave, he praised his own decision to have something to eat earlier. Though, he still wished he had packed for something like this. While it was true that one could have done little to prepare for something like this, he still made the dire mistake of leaving his explorer's bag behind. It was a grim feeling to know that if something went even slightly wrong, the consequences would be fivefold. Snivy hoped not for a fiasco of any sort. Indeed, he had wished he was a water-type sometimes. Now was definitely not the time. The only reason things have not gone uncontrollably wrong was because of his grass-type superiority over the many water or rock-types within the Beach Cave. He encountered a few more Pokémon of this sort, though either avoided them or practically steamrolled them. That suggested they made the first move. Snivy hated to cause conflict, even if his opponent was hardly reasonable with.

He was sincerely hoping that this was not the case with the strange Pokémon who had spoken the word "Azabell".

Eventually, Snivy could go no further. He came to a halt at a point in the cave where it opened up to the ocean, air thick with the salty smell of the morning sea. In the center of this open room was the mysterious blue boy, doubled over on his paws on knees as if he were retching away. Had he really run himself into exhaustion already, Snivy thought. It was a baby of a mystery dungeon. Then again, this boy had previously awoken from a kind of slumber.

"Kid, come on." Snivy began, walking forward at a cautious pace. "You're gonna hurt yourself. At this rate. For all I know, you already have. Take it easy, I'm only here to lend you a hand! ...Look..." Half expecting the other to turn around with a demonic resolve to annihilate, Snivy placed his hand on the other's shoulder, kneeling at his side and watching him closely. "You're okay. I think you just got hit on the head pretty hard or somethin'."

"Wha...?" The young Pokémon revealed his the golden gleam of his eyes to a crimson gleam... Sudden static... To Snivy's vision...

Crimson... gleam...

…

Static...

Snivy opened his eyes, grasping his head tightly with both hands. It felt as though he were in a spiraling madhouse of black and white static. It was all he saw, at least until suddenly produced an image in black and white. There was motion, as a masked figure raced before his eyes. Snivy quickly adjusted to the scenery, despite its lack of color. He glanced to the recipients of this masked figure's charged; a colorless Koffing and Zubat. The two foes easily avoided the charging Pokémon's attack with a combination of a gaseous smog and a high pitched frequency. Snivy recognized these moves as smog and supersonic. Now he did not have the type advantage, if he were to be fighting. If he even existed. He had noticed but a second ago that he was the only one—the only _thing__—_in full color...

And whoever this masked Pokémon was...

_No __time __to __think.__ I__ have__ to__ help! _He felt the unexplainable desire to fight alongside him.

_**BOSS BATTLE: Koffing and Zubat**_

Refusing to hesitate, Snivy launched himself into the fray. With the two distracted with the masked ally's offense, the grass-type unleashed his vines, wrapping them tightly around the Zubat, then whipping Zubat directly into Koffing. Both Pokémon crashed into the rocky floor, fortunate enough to avoid the jagged rock formation nearby. This was a good strategy. Grass-type moves along wouldn't be of much use. Blunt force was the target here.

"Hey!" Snivy called to his ally prior to rushing for the confused Pokémon. He failed to reach this ally before tripping foolishly over an irregular, patterned rock."What the-?" He had been lucky enough to throw his arms out forward to break his fall, rather than his nose. He felt forced to look back at the source of his clumsy fall.

"Look out!" The masked Pokémon yelled, reaching out to Snivy, then pointing at a particular spot behind him. "They're coming back!" His daze seemed to have ended, as he was fully capable of helping Snivy to his feet.

"Thanks." Snivy grinned, nodding to this friendly Pokémon. The two faced their foes, who watched them with smug expressions. Had Snivy seen these Pokémon before? He doubted himself, but that was his own logic. This logic was different. He still knew nothing about what was happening... And he probably wouldn't have found out anytime soon here.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" The purple floating ball of a Pokémon laughed, lifting its entire head—that was its body—back. "The green one is sure are a scrapper. I don't know about your wimpy friend here, though."

"Heh-heh-heh, you got that right!" The Zubat added on. "C'mon, snake, you don't need to carry this dead weight around!"

That remark triggered a glare. Snivy turned to see his fellow holding the same rock he had tripped over. He had wondered what was so significant about it. Figuring it didn't matter at the moment, he returned his glare to its proper place.

"Ease off. What are your motives anyway? Pokémon like you won't make it far around here if you keep this up..." Snivy explained, managing to keep his calm. Again, he was never one to arouse confrontation. Whatever had done so had done a great job. And here Snivy was giving advice to a couple of thugs in a monochrome world with a Pokémon he had never met.

"You'd better not be telling us what to do, whoa-ho." Koffing threatened, hovering forth with Zubat at his side.

"Or else what?" Snivy stood his ground, sensing the other nearby quivering slightly.

"'Or else what'?" The Zubat mocked, as if Snivy had already known the answer to that question. "Or else you're gonna be in a world of hurt, that's 'what'!"

"Go figure..." Snivy said aloud, his masked friend now standing a few feet behind him. "I can be in this weird world, _and_ a world of hurt." The two thugs appeared to be preparing an attack. Things began to happen quite fast.

"We have to get out of here! I have the Relic Fragment! C'mon!" The partner Pokémon spoke loudly, panicked.

"I know, but these guys will just... Ugh, these guys need to be taught a lesson." Snivy spoke over the other, the second sentence having gone unheard to him. It was almost too late to act.

An overwhelming surge of noise assaulted his eardrums. A hideous scented smog filled his nostrils and blocked out his vision. He couldn't tell which direction was left or right, up or down. He felt a forceful impact, but was unable to determine what happened: Had he hit the ground, or been hit to the ground? It mattered not. He was disarrayed. However, this stale cycle of moves did not go unpunished. Having set the precious rock down, the masked ally replicated Snivy's actions from moments earlier. A swift uppercut launched the easy target—Koffing, that is—to the roof of the cave. Awestruck by his sudden valor, Zubat ceased his supersonic, immediately moving to the offensive on the fight-type beside him.

Snivy propelled through the struggle with an immense willpower, vertically striking down on the Zubat with a vine. He remained prone on the floor, his head up, dazed vision vaguely focused on a bluish bat. Having struck the floor, a second impact occurred. It as Koffing. From being slammed into the roof of the cave, he had fallen on his comrade, rolling over with a single groan.

"Whoa-ho... Gnh... Alright, no more. You can have your little rock." Koffing surrendered, Zubat doing the same soon after.

"Go on... Get outta here before we change our minds." Bashed and bruised, Zubat gave this empty threat. With a sigh of relief, Snivy grinned, noticing the masked Pokémon again. As soon as that Pokémon's crimson gleam met Snivy's, the world plunged into static once more... It was as if Snivy's own eyes were receiving some sort of broadcast gone wrong...

…

Before he knew it, he returned to a world of color. For a moment, the world was a bright gold... which then sank into two spots. Those spots were the eyes of the young blue Pokémon, staring back up at the other inquisitively...

"What—I..." Snivy began, not particularly finding any words to describe what had just happen. Notably because there were none. "Hey... What did you...? How...?" He knew he was stammering. There was no use to it. At the moment, he simply wanted to leave the mystery dungeon. "Come on, let's get you out of here." Snivy wasn't sure how the boy would react. He seemed to be managing a lot better, as he was helped to his feet. He said nothing, but did eye Snivy quite a lot. Fortunately, he made no attempt to dash off again, or even resist in any way. The voyage out was far simpler than the voyage in. There were no encounters with hostile locals. A few were sighted. They fled within seconds.

Snivy appreciated sand. He had never praised the sight of it more than today. For some reason, perhaps because he had the spirit of an explorer, he had wished to see a smile on the young Pokémon's face. When he looked back, all he saw was a solemn boy following him, head low and eyes almost half-shut. Clearing a mystery dungeon had always pleased Snivy and Treecko—Team Turbo, that is—dearly. They were simply revitalized off of one another's explorer enthusiasm.

A crazy thought involving this boy crossed Snivy's mind. He was a basket case at the moment. But what if he were to ease into things around here, then start exploring alongside Team Turbo? The thought was interrupted by the presence of a particular grass lizard with his hands on his hips.

"Ah-HA!" Treecko stood in Snivy's casual spot, proceeding to point at his guilty partner. "Exploring places without me, huh? Oh, and making new friends, I see?"

"Treecko? When the heck did you get here?"

"'Bit ago. 'Was about to leave and check if you were already a the guild." Treecko finished his sentence, though had more to say. He turned to face the morning ocean view. Noon was only a couple hours away. "But I'm glad I stayed here. 'Thought you might be here. Here you are." At this point, Treecko was more than curious about this fellow of Snivy's. His next question might have been a bit rushed. "With this boy...? What's your name, dude? I don't think I've seen you in town."

"Hey..." A light bulb—figuratively, of course—flickered above the other grass-type's head. "I didn't catch your name... What was it?" He would have felt rude asking this if he didn't just hallucinate, or whatever it was, within inches of this boy. In honesty, it was important to know who in the world, or _what_in the world he was rescuing, but he had much on his mind. And if he were ever to run into any of the Pokémon he had seen, supposedly, from his mind, he would have had much to ask them as well.

"Edge..." He finally spoke.

He happened to be staring at the horizon; the edge of the world...

…

"Edge..." Snivy began, turning his entire body to the unknown Pokémon. "You told me you were not a Pokémon, but I gotta presume you know that you are one now... Don't worry... Just stick with us. We'll help you out. But Treecko and I gotta have your cooperation. And that begins with a few questions..."

...


	4. World Renowned

_**Chapter 3: World Renowned **_

___**Note: **Ohai. I ninja'd another chapter of Liquid Starlight in before Crossblade. The reason for that is I'm potentially braindead when it comes to that ff. I'll still continue it! I'd be an ass not to and all. I have lots of ideas for this'un though, which is why I really want to write more of it. Hopefully it gets a little more attention from you Pokémon fans out there! (Review, fav, all that good stuff~ Help a bro out! :3 )_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't claim possession over characters originating from the franchises of Chun Soft, Game Freak, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company._**_ They belong to their rightful owners. _**_There are original "personalities" in this story, as well as some original concept Pokémon of mine._

* * *

><p>"You mean," The unknown azure Pokémon named Edge started, anything but free of anxiety. "You actually know someone who is like me?"<p>

Snivy and Treecko, otherwise known as Team Turbo, watched each other for a moment, both having exchanged the same look; a look of silent debate. Was this the best idea for this boy? The three Pokémon were standing in the center of the city's nearby beach. The brighter green of the two grass-types—Snivy was his name—had spoken moments ago, with regard to Edge's emphasized question.

"We might. You freaked out at the idea of being a 'mon, and your memory's not doing so well. That's what I gather." Snivy explained, incapable of resisting the urge to examine Edge's golden bell. He didn't comment on it. There was a surreal presence tethered to the object, however. Snivy never believed he had a sixth sense for anything, but if he did, perhaps this bell would have been one of many objects which triggered a response.

"Snivy, do you realize how crazy this is?" Treecko began, his arms out at his sides as if asking an obvious question, which he was. He walked a tad closer to his partner, eyes shifty with the suspicious Edge near them. He leaned in towards Snivy, speaking subtly. "We don't know who or what this guy is, and he-" He paused, looking to the left to see Edge watching both of them, that big-eyed inquisitiveness proving capable of stopping a conversation.

"Erm. Sorry." Edge apologized, turning away and biting his lip. His ears flattened out at the assumption that they were discussing about him. Treecko returned his attention to his partner and resumed speaking.

"Did this guy say that he was a human before all of this?"

"He said he wasn't a Pokémon, or at least made it pretty clear that he wasn't." Snivy replied, expecting the same question to come up again.

"But he didn't say he was a human?"

"No." Snivy shook his head. "He didn't say what he was. I kind of just assumed that. I mean, what else turns into Pokémon? Aliens? ...Oh, what if he's an alien?"

"I'm sure the federation would be the first to know about any aliens..."

"Yeah, you're right. Plus, it wouldn't explain why he flipped when I called him a Pokémon. Anyway, the guild is our best bet, dude." Snivy crossed his arms, turning his head to the hopelessly lost Pokémon simply called Edge.

"I guess so." Treecko agreed, doing the same. The blue creature—for all they know—noticed this awkward stare and shied away, keeping his head low and his ears splayed.

"Edge." Snivy spoke, the other's ears perking up. He raised his head, blinking a few times with a small frown on his face. "You really don't remember anything before this?"

"No..." The boy shook his head, finding himself staring at his paws once more. "All I remember is that I wasn't a Pokémon."

"Do you think you were a human?" Treecko asked, Snivy predicting he would manage to fit that question in.

"A human? I remember being a human, yes." This triggered another simultaneous share of looks between the two grass-types. "I think... What exactly is a human again?" At this question, a duet of sighs came from both reptilian Pokémon.

"Alright, well you seem to know what a Pokémon is. Most Pokémon here go by the name of their species. For example, I'm Snivy." Snivy paused, pointing to himself and allowing Treecko to finish his thought.

"And I'm Treecko." Snivy's partner added, his hands on his hips once again. "I don't think we can assume that you're an 'Edge', right? That can't be the name of your species."

"No. I was Edge before I was this." The boy clarified, wrapping his own tail around himself and examining it thoroughly, seemingly distracted. "Uh... It's nice to meet you, Snivy and Treecko." He forced himself to smile, facing each Pokémon as he spoke their names.

"You too, dude." Snivy replied, grinning warmly. "Want to head over to the guild now?" Upon receiving an affirming nod from the blue boy, he became enlightened. This was exactly the motivational tool Team Turbo required to simply get into the guild. They had avoided it for a period of time elongated by procrastination and nervousness. Now it was nigh impossible to. If anyone within Treasure City possessed the slightest amount of knowledge on being transformed into a Pokémon from anything else, namely human, it had to be one of the famous heroes of their time. They were blessed enough to live in the same region as it was. It was now very likely that Snivy and Treecko were about to meet the two heroes. Additionally, they were on the edge of a new dawn as Team Turbo; as an exploration team... Edge was a very fitting name for the strange Pokémon Snivy had encountered on this beach...

Having told the boy to follow Treecko and himself to the guild, known as the W.L.C.G., Snivy began to wonder: should he have told his partner about that surreal, monochrome vision he had? It was beyond realistic. The pain, the sensations, the flow of time was all correct. The color was distorted, save the red glint of that masked Pokémon which ejected him from such a vision. How was it caused? Why was it caused? What was it's significance? Will it happen again? The question of greatest interest on his mind regarded Edge. Where did he come from? Who was he? What was he? Maybe, just maybe, the Heroes of Time possessed the answer to this cryptic turn of events. In spite of it all, the time to take initiative was upon Team Turbo. Snivy had assumed the responsibility of assisting the boy called Edge, and, to him, it was heartwarming to see that Treecko was in full agreement. Perhaps he thoughts the same way. This brought the "wannabe exploration team" to the sentry grate of the W.L.C.G...

The trio stood before an immense pillar structure, patterns of neon blue rising to its top. Around the pillar were decorative displays of the city's respect to this guild, such as electronic words moving about a digital screen across panels around the pillar. Some of them read, "The W.L.C.G.: Home to the famous Heroes of Time." The text shifted to various praises beyond that. Originally, a very modest tent was on this spot. Practically everything about the guild had been renovated and updated since then. Although the sentry grate seemed a tad behind. The guild was often known for its cunning methods of making a system seem much less sophisticated than it really was...

"Well man..." Snivy began, head raised at the daunting structure before facing his partner at his side. "Here we are again."

"Yeah... So, who's first to go?" Treecko smirked, glancing back at Snivy. In return, Snivy rolled his eyes and walked forward with little hesitation. He was upon the grate...

"Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!" A voice hollered from below. It appeared to be enhanced by an intercom of some sort. The trio ventured it was located outside somewhere nearby. It shocked Edge to the point of hopping a tad. "Whose footprint? Whose footprint? The footprint is Snivy's! The footprint is Snivy's! ...There are two others with you! May I have you get them to stand where you are?"

Without question, Snivy moved aside. Treecko took his turn on the grate.

"The second Pokémon is Treecko! The second Pokémon is Treecko!" The voice called out again. It was most likely the famous sentry Diglett, now that Snivy thought about it. He wasn't sure why they still required Diglett's services if a set perpetual surveillance cameras was probably placed in the area. However, Snivy and Treecko both knew that the W.L.C.G. adored traditional activities, and felt that the duties which Pokémon were capable of managing without the use of gamma technologies should have been kept within these sacred grounds, despite its obvious signs of being physically up to date. This method was also very cost-effective. It saved the guild a generous amount of money in the long rung, as refilling on gamma was worth a pretty Poké.

"There is one more Pokémon with you, yes? Please have him or her do the same." Diglett—supposedly, at least—said politely. It was impressive that he was able to determine many people were in a group, especially given how light the three were. Edge, having observed Treecko and Snivy, stepped forth, his focus wandering down into the darkness beneath his feet. "The third Pokémon is... ...The third Pokémon is... Um... Give me one moment please!"

Snivy pointed his snout a bit lower to the ground, his eyes still on Edge. His expression matched something along the lines of fascination. If Diglett did not know which Pokémon Edge was, it was practically questioning whether or not Edge was a Pokémon at all. Had Treecko known Edge for as long as Snivy had, which honestly was not that much longer, he would have shared this fascination. That was not to say Treecko wasn't taken off guard.

"Okay!" Diglett spoke again. "The door is open! You three can enter!" It was astonishing enough that the sentry couldn't identify Edge. Now he was letting the three through having failed to complete his duty. That was unheard of, which meant, quite literally and obviously, Snivy and Treecko hadn't heard of that. Was this regular with new Pokémon? ...Or had they just made history? Regardless, the automatic doors were lit green, clarifying their state. The trio, with the exception of the confused Edge, shrugged off the case and approached the door. It raised with a swift hiss. The three found themselves within a wide, cylindrical elevator. The destination was preset based on the Pokémon who entered, which meant that Diglett's job was a bit more difficult than anticipated. He decided where the new Pokémon went, and were the casual exploration teams looking for work went as well. It was likely that guild members chose their own floor at any time. A humming instigated within the neon sky blue elevator. They were descending...

"Can you believe it, man?" Snivy asked his partner, his face stellar with joy. "We're actually in the guild..."

"We are, but we're here to see the guildmaster and his assistant." Treecko responded, his arms crossed.

"Exactly. We can see them and ask to form an official exploration team."

"Yeah, but what about Edge, dude?"

"We can ask about him too."

"I know. But if we go and form a team, where does that put him?" Snivy was forced to ponder over Treecko's inquiry directed at the boy beside them. He was right. The couldn't simply leave Edge, a victim of amnesia who had no idea where or who he was, in the center of a bustling guild. There was only one option on Snivy's mind.

"Why don't we have him join us?" He almost couldn't believe he just asked this. He had only just met the mysterious boy, and his intuition sparked the growth of a qualm. What are the risks of teaming up with someone like Edge. He was no pessimist, but something in his gut was not in agreement with this instantaneous idea.

"J-join you?" Edge spoke softly, rather innocently. "I don't know, I think I'd just get in the way..." Before the two could object, the elevator door opposite the recently opened one shot into the ceiling, revealing a huge, for all intents and purposes, "base" of operations for a large variety of exploration and rescue teams. The shape of this room matched the elevator: circular. The ground was surprisingly made up mostly of dirt, while there were a few hexagon-tile paths. The dirt was supposedly for Pokémon like Diglett from moments ago. It was far easier to surface on dirt than metal, clearly. To either side of the elevator were various bulletin boards. Next to those boards were peculiar looking computers and scanners. Neither Snivy nor Treecko had any idea what these were used for, however many Pokémon in the room were using them. On the opposite end of the room were three desks adjacent to one another. Two of the desks were unmanned. One, which happened to be in the center, was occupied. Within the desk chair was a green simian Pokémon. He was already facing the trio, as if he had expected their arrival. It was possible. Diglett probably transferred the information to him.

"Ah, you three!" The monkey-esque Pokémon called out with an overhand wave. "You're the newcomers, I see!" He stood to his feet, approaching the center of the room. Instinctively, Snivy and Treecko walked to greet him. Edge followed closely behind.

"Hey! We're Team Turbo, and we came to the guild to ask a few important questions." Snivy greeted the other, who looked rather adept and wise.

"Ah, Team Turbo you say? Well, allow me to introduce myself." The kind apprentice placed a hand to his chest, smiling at the guests. "I am Simisage, elite apprentice and the Pokémon in the know around Treasure City. I guide many rookies with advice pertaining solely to the art of exploration, not to mention a mix of combat here and there. Sentry Diglett has informed me of your arrival. Snivy, Treecko, and... Well, he was unclear about you, blue one. And I must say, I have never seen a Pokémon quite like you." He stroked his chin with his finger and thumb, his eyes thin with an enlightened curiosity.

"Neither have we. His name is Edge. Snivy said he found him at the beach, unconscious, and with little to no memory of past events, or somethin'." Treecko clarified, a hand out to the side as he explained.

"Ah, is that so?"

"Yeah." Snivy continued for his partner. "We were wondering if the Heroes here might know a thing or two about Edge, as there's a strong possibility that he was a human who transformed into an unknown Pokémon."

"Great Arceus! ...Edge, boy, are your friends speaking the truth? Are you possibly a former human?" Simisage seemed to be devoid of skepticism.

"Erm, well... I think. I don't know. I don't remember exactly what a human is. All I know is that I'm Edge, and I wasn't a Pokémon." The boy, paws folded over one other, shuffled at the ground with a foot forward.

"I see, I see... Now, Diglett failed to identify you, correct?" But a moment after Simisage's question, Edge nodded. "That alone is evidence that we are dealing with a case which exceeds beyond my wisdom. And you, Team Turbo, have made the correct decision of coming to the one and only operating collaboration guild who's revered leaders are world famous heroes, one of which must certainly be suited for the transformation from human, among other things, into a Pokémon. Come, follow me! I will show you to the quarters of our guildmaster and his assistant." With plenty of room to get by, Simisage walked to the elevator, Snivy, Treecko, and Edge following his lead. It was now that Snivy noticed a particular device around Simisage's wrist. He had always wondered what exactly this was among explorers of various calibers. He was also amazed that he and Treecko were about to meet the Heroes of Time in person. Team Turbo, a duo of "fakers", were on their way to speak with legends. Both of them had every right to have the feeling of butterflies fluttering about in their bellies.

Within the elevator, Simisage used his wristwatch device to control its descent. The compatibility of these devices must have been quite wide, seeing as how they were used by all official explorers. There was no questioning Snivy's desire to become one of those explorers. He had the chance to begin living out his dream on this day...

The elevator reached the next floor, hatch opening into the ceiling again. It was rather cozy, as opposed to the more business related room above. Within one corner of the large rectangular room was a lounge for the apprentices, a lit fireplace burning away in front of a variety of different furniture designed specifically for the Pokémon who worked here. A corridor near this lobby-like lounge led to a kitchen and mess hall, and hallways on the opposite side led to the guild members' rooms. The whole place was like a small, comfortable hotel from the future. In fact, apprentices were present in the lounge, chatting about something unapparent to the trio. Team Turbo knew there were more guild members than these. Perhaps these select few had taken up shifts around the guild for the day. Glances were exchanged, mostly aimed at the shy Edge. It was alleged that the apprentices hadn't yet seen a Pokémon like this.

"Ah, good morrow my peers!" Simisage broke the silence, waving overhead once more. In return, a few of the apprentices waved back, revealing to Snivy their wrist devices. It seemed they went nowhere without these significant small mechanisms. He had to wonder how Diglett might have worn one of these. It was possible they came in different forms. He had noticed a Deerling girl with the same device fastened around one of her forelegs. On another note, Snivy was positive that these guild members were not exactly too sure how to feel about an unknown Pokémon who, now that he thought about it, was a mystery in terms of his type. Was he a water-type? The answer was not to be rushed.

Moving through the guild, Snivy had never believed he would have been concerned with anything other than joining the W.L.C.G. while inside the building. He could only have imagined what was on Treecko's mind. Whatever it was, it might not have been very different. This made the duo a functional pair. They thought the same way, agreeing on most aspects of exploration related ideas. While it was a benefit, it was also a problem in some cases. An infamous example would have been joining this very guild. Some excuse would have risen which both Snivy and Treecko would declare a reason for "not joining the guild today." There was no one pushing the two to strive for challenges. They possessed great spirit, but they still required the right attitude for the job.

Simisage was stationary in front of a red lit autodoor. A few blips and beeps were heard as he managed his wristwatch device. He spoke into it.

"Guildmaster! It's Simisage. We have a few very special guests on this day. May they come in?" His voice was directed into the guildmaster's quarters via wireless communications of some sort, the source acting as that wristwatch.

"Certainly, Simisage." A radio rendered voice came from the device. At that point, naturally, Snivy and Treecko exchanged anxious glances again, while Edge wasn't too sure how to react. All he knew was that he was about to meet famous people. Team Turbo, on the other hand, actually knew what that meant for them. "The door is open!" The friendly tone of this guildmaster was accompanied by a lower beep, its origins from the chrome autodoor, now lit with a green tint.

"Well, you three," Simisage started, facing the guests. "I'll leave you to it. I must be returning to my work!" With a friendly salute, or gesture of the sort, the considerate Pokémon returned to the cylindrical elevator.

Snivy and Treecko were nervous enough to forget to thank Simisage for bringing them here. Silence and hesitation filled the moment with discomfort, that made even greater due to the fact that guild members were staring at them from the lounge.

"Right then!" Treecko said, inhaling noisily before walking ahead, the door rising automatically through the common sensory technology. This left Snivy and Edge to be walking side-by-side now. As they entered the lavish room, adorn with exotic gems and plants from the world in its whole, they met the red gaze of the caped Hero. He was sitting at a wide, crescent-shaped desk, banners standing at each side of the desk. The contents of said desk were kept tidy and organized, which matched the rest of the huge room. An arched doorway led to a back section of the room, which were undoubtedly the living quarters.

With his paws folded politely on the desk, the black-caped guildmaster introduced himself.

"Welcome, guests, to the Wigglytuff-Lucario Collaboration Guild, or W.L.C.G., as it is called! I am Lucario, and th-..." The guildmaster, Lucario, froze for a moment, glancing to the left, then to the right. As he was speaking, he had gestured with one arm to his left as if he were introducing another nearby. "Seems as if my partner slipped away to do some... unnecessary... cleaning. He does a splendid job, but he works his leafy tail off."

"Nononono, wait a sec!" An eager voice came from the back room. It wasn't nearly as deep as Lucario's. In fact, it sounded playful and energetic, almost like Snivy's during an exploration going well. "I'm here! I'm just doing some tidying up." As this Pokémon was speaking, his shadow was shown on the side wall, followed by his appearance around the corner. Strangely, comparing him once again to Snivy, he was at the second stage of evolution for that particular set of Pokémon. He was a Servine; a natural gentle presence, it seemed. "Sorry about that. I'm Jovany! Team Crimsongleam welcomes you to the guild!"


	5. This is Only the Beginning

_**Chapter 4: This is Only the Beginning**_

_**Note: ** Here's some more LS. Upon planning out a few more things for this fan fiction, I'm actually starting to have more fun writing the chapters. It was really difficult to break away from Wave: Endemic to do this though, because that was just pure entertainment, and I've really taken a liking to writing in 1st person. I feel like I can make more words magically appear if I'm "the character". It may be obvious to some folks that I wanted to do this one in 1st person from Snivy's view, but I decided against the idea due to plot plans and whatnot. Anyway, this chapter is actually pretty interesting! It's like section 1 on how things work. Not action, but pretty cool stuff._

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't claim possession over characters originating from the franchises of Chun Soft, Game Freak, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company._**_ They belong to their rightful owners. _**_There are original "personalities" in this story, as well as some original concept Pokémon of mine._

* * *

><p>There they were. The Heroes of Time were not five feet from the typical, everyday Team Turbo of Treasure City. Both of the smaller grass-types felt unworthy, considering the hospitality of Lucario and Jovany. Treecko's eyes were wide, and Snivy's legs felt as though they were trembling. Neither of them could have imagined how stupid they looked then, but they would have agreed on the false reality of that moment lasting for minutes rather than seconds.<p>

"What a nice delivery of coincidences!" The one called Jovany grinned, eying each of the Pokémon within the room, save Lucario. "I remember when I was your age, Snivy. I joined Wigglytuff's Guild back in the day around that time."

"So." Lucario began with a slight nod, referencing Jovany's comment. "Would that be the case with you three? Would you like to join the W.L.C.G.?"

"Ah, well we... uhm..." Snivy glanced around the room, his head unmoving. He cleared his throat, a leafy hand up at his mouth. Behind that, he was grinning nervously. "I-er—we would really love to join the guild!" At this, Treecko swallowed spit. He, too, desired this. And honestly, what else was Snivy to say to such a promising question? The both of them wished to be honorary explorers, so neither of them would have declined that offer.

"Very good, very good!" Lucario responded, smiling and nodding, his paws folded on the desk once again. "You two in front look tenacious, as every explorer should be. You look as though you get along exceptionally, as that is a crucial trait of what defines friends... You there, in the back! Don't be shy. Join your partners!" He raised his back a tad, peeking over Snivy and Treecko to see the blue mystery named Edge. Jovany had been silent for a reason.

_Lucario, the small, blue kid is..._ The Servine was thinking as though he were speaking, a worried frown on his face. _I think we may have come across a... Mm... no no, I can't think that way. He, too, is a Pokémon. He looks innocent. _Jovany dismissed the thought, staring off to the side for a moment.

Jovany had turned away simply because he did not want to make already timid boy who was now in between his friends even more unnerved at the thought of joining the guild. Plus, Jovany suspected Edge had some sort of secret he wished to keep subtle. It wasn't necessarily a hunch, but a precaution which would have hopefully prevented an awkward moment.

"Hello..." Edge gave both a small smile and feeble little wave, his large, wavy tail motionless against the ground

Now, this was certainly a shocker for one of the wisest Pokémon in Treasure City, and one of the most experienced Pokémon on the planet, the others either being anonymous or residing in space. Lucario raised a brow, leaning in an inch or two to examine Edge. His appearance was unlike anything the guildmaster had yet seen. He had the eyes of a Shinx, a few of a Vulpix's canine traits, soft, glossy blue fur which flowed like water into his white underbelly and tail, and then, of course, there was spherical bell around his neck. That in itself was a point of focus for Lucario.

"This is remarkable... I have never seen a Pokémon like you. Please. Tell me your name." Maintaining manners with ease, the guildmaster gave the blue Pokémon a gentle gaze.

"I'm Edge. But I don't think that's what I am. I... I don't know... what I am." Edge shifted his attention away from Lucario and to Jovany, who had just done the same. Their eyes met. Jovany used this as an opportunity to speak.

"Well, you're a Pokémon." He stated the obvious, shrugs of agreement going around. "You're very different though. There's something about you that's... off. No offense. And it doesn't really have anything to do with your being an unknown species. If you were any Pokémon, I think I'd still get that feeling."

"Indeed, your aura is quite different. It is..." Lucario paused, facing his partner for a moment. "Nostalgic. Jovany's hunches are to be considered." He returned his attention to the three. "There was another reason you came, yes?"

"There is!" Snivy spoke for the group, nodding. "And it's exactly what you suspect. Treecko and I, and even Edge here, believe that he himself was not a Pokémon before today. I saw him passed out on the beach and I thought, you know, 'Shoot, this guy could be in trouble.'"

"I remember being scared..." Edge started again, holding his bell in both paws. "When I woke up, I mean. I saw Snivy, and he called me a Pokémon... But everything was screaming at me. It's like the world I knew was wrong about it all; that there was a certain way everything had to be. And I wasn't meeting those standards. I was going to pay the ultimate price..."

"Whoa... holy crud, little dude." Mouth somewhat agape, Snivy places a hand on the boy's shoulder, watching him with concern. "'Never told us that..."

"Sorry." With his head low yet again, he awaited some sort of response from Lucario or Jovany. That response was an action, as Lucario stood slowly from his desk, his paws flat against its surface still.

"This is all worth looking into. Excuse us for a moment." At first, his tone appeared to have a menacing, foreboding element to it, which was diluted into a state of reassurance as he gave a smile to the three boys. He faced his partner once again. "Jovany?" Receiving a nod, the two walked beside on another to the back room. It was quite amazing how they were to discuss something relating to Edge and the other two, though were not heard at all. It was rumored that Lucario possessed the ability to speak within another's mind, however that would have left the question of Jovany's form of communication. In honesty, they could have just been speaking silently. Now that Treecko and Snivy thought about that, naturally, at the same time, they could make out a few whispers.

…

"He seems like a good kid." The sincere Servine whispered, looking up slightly at the nearby window as he sat on his capsule-shaped, high-tech bed. "I'd love to have him and the others in the guild as explorers. It'd be like uncovering a mystery about oneself. Kinda like me."

"As much as I agree with you, I am worried about the welfare of my students; of all of us." Lucario's arms were crossed as he stood in front of Jovany, head turned back a bit at the office behind him. "Do you recall the federation's chilling discovery? This Edge boy is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a victim of that very discovery."

"Maybe he is. But what if he's _good_, Lucario? It's too early to draw any conclusions about their discovery."

"I understand. I'm being cautious. The incident with Wigglytuff's apprentices still haunts me, and I cannot afford to have that take place here... Gah, but..." The guildmaster sighed through his nose, head lowering slowly. "I hate how I'm being doubtful about a boy who has come to the right place. And those two grass-types are very supportive amongst one another."

"Lucario." The assistant guildmaster stood from the bed, placing a leafy hand at the tip of his shoulder. "It's so like you to be thinking with caution, and that's a good thing. But you and I have seen some grim days. We can make this work, no matter how bad it turns out. That's our thing, right?" Jovany offered a consoling smile to the guildmaster, who simply chuckled in response.

"I don't know how you do that." Lucario began. "You make me decide. You give me valor."

"Heh, I don't give too much of what's already there, big guy." Lucario wrapped his arms lightly around his shorter partner, hearing a small squeak as a response.

"Jovany, you're my wonder gummi: so exotic and sweet, and oh so special."

"Lucario!" Both of them were speaking a bit louder now. Jovany started to blush ever so slightly. "The boys are right out there!" He couldn't help but giggle a tad.

Snivy and Treecko glanced at each other at what sounded like flirting in the back section of the room. Edge simply stared ahead with the blankest expression achievable. When the three saw the two heroes walk out from the back, faces lightened with what Snivy hoped to be a positive answer to both of their questions, Edge backed away a couple inches, lining himself back up with his two new friends. Lucario remained by Jovany's side, paws now behind his cape.

"Well boys, we have good news and average news!" Jovany started, eying over each of them to make sure that he had their undivided attention. That much was known. "We would be happy to have you join our guild here!" He raised both hands, emphasizing their environment. "Furthermore—and this is the average news—Lucario and I are not so sure what to make of Edge here." That was a lie. Deep down, Jovany had seen this elsewhere. However, he had not yet come across a creature like Edge, and neither had Lucario. Given the peculiarity of his attitude, they decided to give Edge a chance in their establishment to see just how well of an explorer one of _these_ could have made.

One could scan over each of the boys and find a different expression entirely. There was Treecko, whose eyes were wide with disbelief. There was Edge, who was standing there with his head tilted, unsure what to think about anything. There was Snivy, with a huge grin upon his face and a few sparkles in both of his eyes.

"Really? W-we really get to join?" Snivy spoke aloud, possibly louder than intended.

"Why of course!" Lucario answered, waving an arm out a bit. Snivy mistook that as telling him to lower his voice. "Granted, you will have to prove yourself." Like that, Snivy's grin vanished. "...Ha! Don't worry, you three! With the spirit you have, I'm sure you've been through harder obstacles than our initiation tests!"

"Initiation?" Treecko inquired, twisting his back and stretching out a bit. "I think we can handle it! What do we have to do?"

"You will be taught how to utilize the federation's standard issue Action Velocity Modifiers; the most recent versions, of course. The first order of business would be to link your communications systems to our own, so that we may instruct you from anywhere." Lucario explained, half expecting reactions of the utmost confusion. That happened to occur.

"Uhm... Huh?" Treecko asked in his most sophisticated manner.

"Heh, I know it sounds kind of intimidating, but it's not bad at all!" Jovany spoke, doing what he does best. Reassuring others.

"So!" Lucario began. "I imagine you three will make the most use of the wristwatch variation! Jovany, if you will?" The guildmaster faced his assistant , who promptly hurried into the back room. No longer than fifteen seconds passed before this enthusiastic Servine returned with a bundle of small shoulder-strap bags. "Quick as usual."

"Yup. So, guys, these are pretty handy. The bags I have here are a smaller size to make up for the amount of members on your team. We wouldn't want oversized gear slowing you down. Nor would you, trust me." Jovany approached the three, handing each of them their very own bag.

"Take a look inside!" Lucario advised. Snivy was the last to receive his bag, which was designed with the use of a cotton-esque plant, then tinted a soft brown and lined with lighter strips. It was a simpler item, appearing out of place in this age. However, it was effective and by far the easiest method of carrying equipment into varying environments. They were reliable and used throughout and even beyond the world. As Lucario had instructed, the anxious grass snake peeked into the useful piece of gear to find perhaps and even more prominent piece. It was as though he had uncovered a hidden chest full of wealth before the journey had even begun. This device would have most likely ensured that this remained a very plausible thing in the future. He removed it from the bag, eying over the complexity that constituted an Action Velocity Modifier. The detail was mind blowing. Miniature lights and a small screen that looked to be used for a digital clock lined the thing, all currently off of course. Snivy turned to his partners, learning he was not the only one baffled by this mechanism.

"That, my friends, is the proof of being an official explorer. It is the modern badge of honor. Be wary. It is also stimulates an incredible force within your body just waiting to be unleashed. And that is why we have a very strict initiation. Will you use this power for good, in the name of our dedicated species? That sort of thing. For the safety of the beginners, you will find that many applications of the AVM are inaccessible. As you gain experience in your training, helpful, and most certainly exciting, apps will become available. This includes things like an analysis of a mystery dungeon's layout, a target scanner, and even a telepathic communicator for those sneaky situations." Lucario gave the three boys a rather simplistic briefing, leaving Jovany to explain the more general facts about the device, which he hopped to effective immediately after the guildmaster finished.

"A few things to know about the AVM is that the team within the federation working on them averages two versions a year. Right now, we all refer to them as the V11. Soon enough, it will be the V12. And so forth." He paused, making sure that he had their attention as done before. This information might have seemed superfluous to an eager explorer, yet it was absolutely necessary. Luckily enough, the boys were fascinated by this. "This gamma-powered technology is very durable, if not, indestructible! That does not make the user invincible. It is too often we see cases of complacency. One believes he or she has all the power in the world and decides to make a bad move with it."

"I can imagine." Treecko agreed, that comment leaving the three rookies to examine their AVMs. "So, what action exactly does this modify?"

"Good question!" Lucario began, offering to provide an answer. "Upon activation, the V11 will automatically attune to its user, identifying type, abilities, and even your preferred battle style. Through many experiences, your AVM will bestow strain upon your body as you perform a certain move that has been used most frequently in battle. After a certain point of 'powering up' that move, it will become what we call a velocity move. These moves are very powerful, and although the strain may be lifted, they still use up a lot of your energy."

"Velocity moves," Jovany continued for his partner. "Vary from your regular abilities in their sheer costly power. Overuse these in a mystery dungeon, and you'll find yourself worn and hungry on a cold ground with nothing to your name but your dignity, should that remain. In many cases, velocity moves can combine two or more types. For example, their could be a move that deals partial grass-type damage and partial poison-type damage. Your AVM approximates the amounts. There are even possibilities of uncovering the two new types known to Pokémon."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. New types? I never knew about any knew types. That's crazy..." Snivy admitted, examining his AVM for the third time. "These things can trigger that kind of power?

"Oh yes." Lucario responded, paws behind his cloak. "And it's imperative that you do not take this power for granted. It is your own, but your limits are ever present. Push yourself, but know yourself... Now! Go ahead and put your arms through the devices. If they seem too large, they will adjust to your size."

Snivy watched the others before he performed any further action. A good five seconds of hesitation passed him by. The heroes were very kind, but it seemed like they understated the gravity of such a commitment. After all, they had made it sound as though these devices—Action Velocity Modifiers—became a part of a Pokémon... Snivy thought to himself for a moment that he was being a bit hasty to judge. He was still jittery about all of this. He should have been more excited now. He hadn't realized that the AVMs would have sent him on a journey to uncover himself on a greater scale. The same could have been said about Treecko. About Edge? Well, the two, now possibly the entire guild, simply had to uncover the basics about Edge, rather than his potential with the AVMs. Last to receive his device, he was also the last to put it on. When he did so, he raised his arm out so that it was held diagonally a few inches from his snout. Right there, the thing lit up and instantaneously began whirring gently. It's hum was accompanied by the sensation of Snivy's wrist being squeezed gently. The first thing the screen displayed was a friendly "Welcome new user to the V11. Please report to your instructor(s) for further setup." That message rolled across the small screen repeatedly. The lights beneath the screen seemed to be lit up a specific green. Treecko's lights were green. Edge's were varied. A couple were blue, and a couple were radiant white.

Had it just identified their types...?

Upon consulting the local masters of these mysterious works of technology, it was evident that Edge's combination of lights were unique. Though there was little mentioned about this, expression alone was enough to determine that something was awry. Snivy would not have noticed anything about it. Nor would Treecko have. They were impressed that Edge's AVM didn't just display "ERROR. ERROR. ERROR." then blow up in his face in some sort of comical manner. It probably wouldn't have been that funny, considering these things most definitely fell under the expensive category.

But it was working fine. The three also had the privilege of seeing Lucario's own V11, which was customized to truly fit him. Team Turbo was only able to imagine just how powerful this Pokémon had become with the AVM boon of "velocity training". Jovany too! He mentioned something quite interesting about his own V11; how it was a larger variation that wrapped around his tail, though still operated as a normal (but probably pretty powerful) AVM. Snivy observed as Lucario wirelessly transmitted a series of codes over to Team Turbo's V11s. It seemed as though voice commands were used to activate the functions of the devices, as the guildmaster was sending over information such as time, location, and status of the explorer (beginner, expert, etc.). it was not long before he finished.

"You three are set. We will let your V11s adjust to your bodies for a while longer. In the meantime, your first assignment will be to meet and greet your fellow apprentices! You'll notice that many are not here because of duties. But do say hello to those who are here. Talk! Get to know your peers! You could find that you have certain things in common. And believe me, making friends here is the wisest decision a new recruit can make. We'll give you about an hour to chat and become acquainted with the place. How does that sound?"

The three recruits nodded innocently, still struck rather speechless about how simple it was all of this time. Treecko and Snivy could have slapped themselves across the face right then and there. All of those wasted days of the "kiddie pool". Then again, this all felt a little too good to be true to the humble Snivy. Edge was a murky detail. And the training was bound to be relentless. For now, making friends with the others sounded pretty good! It was obvious how that helped in the long run.

With proper thank yous on each end, the three left the guildmaster's quarters. It was hard to say if Jovany could have been considered a guildmaster. He was almost arrant in his modesty though. There was something about Jovany that reminded Snivy about himself. Now, this excludes the fact that they resided on the same chain of evolution. It was something else. Something with depth. The same went for Lucario, albeit some form of differentiation was present. That was certainly harder to explain than the familiarity Jovany presented. But that was to be of Snivy's concern for a different time. The apprentices' corner lounge was a tad emptier, though a few talkative explorers remained by the fire. They would be the first to speak with the new recruits.

There were four Pokémon here. There was a Pikachu leaning against a neon-lined pillar to the left of the fireplace. He was wearing a scarlet scarf with an insignia that appeared to be something along the lines of a sphere with a light bottom, a colored top, and circle in the center. There was a Charamander sitting on the carpet with his tail coalescing with the flames of the fireplace behind him. He seemed relaxed. There was a Chikorita standing in the center of the carpet, the attention of the Pokémon on her. Her demeanor reeked, in a positive way, of energy. Lastly, a Piplup was sitting in one of the cushioned chairs with her wings in her lap She appeared shier... All three of the Pokémon after Pikachu were wearing the same scarlet scarf with identical insignias. A team, perhaps?

Pikachu lifted his head a tad higher at the oncoming rookies. He knew well that they had been assigned something that fell under social activity.

"Newcomers!" Pikachu spoke, his voice possessing a hearty power that was flavored with a hint of a calculating personality. He managed to speak during an exchange of sentences between Charamander and Chikorita. The topic of the conversation was not too significant. It was playful, relating to how the four of them shared the first two letters of each other's name with the opposing type member. Sure enough, Team Turbo (Edge especially) became the topic of conversation.

"Hey guys!" Snivy greeted. He couldn't help but notice their individual V11s. "Sounds like you already know the deal about us." He chuckled a little, trying to sound natural.

"Heh, well duh!" Chikorita grinned, hurrying over to the new apprentices and directing her attention to Treecko's V11. "I mean you already got _that._" Head unmoving, she focused her gaze on Treecko. "So, what'cha guys called, huh? You a team or something?"

"We are. We call ourselves Team Turbo. You can blame that guy there for the name." Without even looking, Treecko pointed at Snivy.

"Hey now, gecko! You and I both agreed on the name. You actually suggested it!" This was innocent badinage between the two. They often did this around new faces to lighten up the conversation.

"Team Turbo? That's a pretty tight name, bro." the Charamander replied, revealing his surfer voice. That was ironic for obvious reasons. Plus, it was kind of how Snivy had adapted to speaking. He lifted himself to his clawed feet, rolling his shoulders a bit. "I guess I'll kick off the introductions, or whatever. I'm Charmander."

"I'm Chikorita!" The grass-type near Treecko hollered. "As you might have guessed!"

"DJ." The Pikachu spoke. "If you want to call me Pikachu, that's fine too. Otherwise, my name's DJ." This Pokémon stood aloof from the rest in a very defining way.

"I'm... Piplup." The voice was so quiet and high pitched that it sounded threatened. The source of this voice slowly slid down in her chair, as if she was hiding shame of some kind. Snivy and Treecko both knew that she was a Piplup, and probably used that as a name (whereas DJ was curious...), but for Edge's sake, Snivy acted as though he didn't know.

"'Beg your pardon?" He made the comment as light as he could.

"Piplup, right?" Treecko clarified right away, sensing the strange fear of meeting new Pokémon in Piplup's attitude. She nodded in return. "Good to know. My name's Treecko, and this is my partner Snivy." With his arm gesturing to Snivy, he looked over to Edge. "And this is our new friend, Edge."

"He sure is a cutie." Chikorita started, showing that she had a tendency to speak what was on her mind more often than others. "I've never seen a Pokémon like you, Edge!"

"Neither have we. We thought it might have been a good idea to come here for that..." Snivy crossed his arms, finding himself mulling once again over his monochrome experience not too long ago.

"Seems like you got more than what you came for!" DJ spoke up, pushing himself from the wall and approaching Team Turbo. "Well met, Turbo. The four of us are Team Wonder." Up this close, it was now that Snivy noticed a deep scar across one of the Pikachu's scarlet patches. It was almost fitting for him, given the name. He was unusually upbeat for this type of person though. Another note Snivy made was his V11. The lights were mainly hued yellow. That was enough to tell him that the lights, in fact, displayed the type or types of a certain Pokémon based on color. It was a basic color-code idea. "We're off duty for a while. So how about we show you around the guild if you have time?"

"That sounds like a good idea to me, man. You cool with that, Treecko?"

"Sure. Gotta do it sometime, right?" With that in mind, they made way for the various sections of the guild, such as the mess hall, supplied by the market nearby, and the bedrooms for the apprentices. DJ explained that Team Turbo would be given a room after completion of the first stage of initiation. That hinted at further stages later on. He never mentioned what exactly the challenges were, but that was ideal in that Snivy, Treecko, and Edge had to be ready for anything. Being told the details of this initiation was considered cheating.

With regard to the guild members' rooms, it fell upon the responsibility of those very members to keep them as clean as possible, as inspection was a weekly event. Failure to comply with the rules did not ensue in very strict punishment. It was more or less an honor system. Every Pokémon knew what it meant to be an explorer, thus they were striving to be at their best. No one wanted to be known as the "sloppy explorer". That said, there were certainly greater consequences to disobeying the guild rules to particular extents. It was quite amazing how much DJ himself knew about the guild's policies and standards while having stated that he and his team were rather new to the W.L.C.G.. Additionally, there was a quality DJ had which seemed off-tune. He was far from the norm. He couldn't have come from the Eastern Continent. He lacked the accent. There was something he was hiding... perhaps from his teammates, who seemed to be Pokémon in every way. That wasn't saying, of course, DJ was not a Pokémon.

Between Edge, the heads of the guild, and Team Wonder, things were rapidly entangling into a cluster of what might eventually be something more climactic than Team Turbo imagined. And this was only the beginning...

…

_...It's known as the Experimental Leap. Some time after the heroes of Crimsongleam prevented the destruction of time itself, the federation began working in secrecy to launch a campaign of space exploration. Amassing a large force of electric-types, they constructed a formidable shuttle powered by said electric-types. They deemed it a rousing success; a call to the planet below that they had cleared a path to the stars. They were proud. They received the glory they had desired. But all was not well. _

_This is a"Leap" into an age of coverups. The amount of energy they demanded out of the many Pokémon powering the spacecraft, and even the technology now being used on the planet, was beyond what an electric-type could have kept up with. Even as the Interplanetary Explorer Coalition has just been announced, these poor Pokémon were taken for granted. The federation refused to admit to their unacceptable treatment of the workers, many of which ended up disappearing due to something that was worded very carefully._

_Sacrifice. Their own choice of sacrifice._

_They were lies. They were all lies._

_But does the federation have any plans to abandon this Experimental Leap? No. We're still going. The Dawnstar, which was the title of our first spacecraft, continued to abuse the power of these Pokémon when the widely known Wigglytuff's Guild opted to travel to the outer limits in this machine. It was a bright day for the typically cheery guild. We called this space expedition a privilege; a reward for all that they have done... The truth was simple. They were nothing more than mere puppets. Why they were blind to the strings, I would never know. That Wigglytuff's optimism backfired. They were credited with the discovery of something truly "miraculous" upon Planetoid Z. Gamma..._

_But no, they have been feigning everything. The uncovering of the gamma fluid was not of efforts from Wigglytuff's Guild... No... _

_They. Did this. To me. Gamma. They killed my brother. Then poisoned me. And now here I am, in this twisted broken metal, with my V1 as the only means of keeping my sanity..._

_... ...I feel the drip. Drip. Drip. Drip of energy on my fur. I feel it sink. Sink. Sink. Sink into my body. I see it eat. Eat. Eat. Eat away at the metal. My blood cells come together with the gamma. _

_I have a shard of metal thrust through my chest. It's been there since the crash. But I'm alive, because my blood is gamma. And it's corroding the metal. I... think I might have been dead... but I might have also come back to life... I'll still be alive then. I'll see the day the federation burns to ashes... I'll... make it happen._

_...It's known as the Experimental Leap._

_And it will destroy the world._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Post-Note: <strong>Alrighty, folks! Endemic is gonna be the next -update-, but before that, I'm gonna try something new! And then after that, it's anyone's guess. BUT. I plan on trying something even newer than that new thing I just mentioned! The newer thing is probably going to be an experimental story of a game I enjoyed very much: Cave Story. The new thing (without -er) is going to be a oneshot for Pokémon. _

_But yes! If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a review! ^^ Favorite if you wish. If stuff is going to slow, just yell at me to do something. xD Chances are I'll be working on whatever!  
><em>


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